INTRODUCTION
STORIES FROM THE ROAD
TRAVELOGS
Date: 12.10.04 Antigua
a red toyota truck pulls up with 6 men in the back, four of them stand up to play the xylophone, another the bass and the last man the drum set of two drums and bells...next to them four puppets with men inside dance around, arms flying and dresses of red polka dots and hearts begin to swing in time to the music. cars try to pass but the road is closed off now. the sun is setting and the butterscotch clouds hide the mountain behind this barrio plaza. the kids dance around. its confusing to me that this obviously poorer area in Antigua with the crumbling plaster and rough roads, yet eh cars are mostly brand new, polished and well cared for. there is a mix of mayan and ladinos in both traditional and western clothes. the colours of the ochre and burgundy homes light up as the sun lowers out of sight. loud pumping music got me up here, curiosity again my plight...the square is small and full of families and kids watching the dancers infront of the fountain. theres a bunch of characters all dressed as old people with rubber masks, wooden walking sticks and suits and dresses, all dancing in unison to the salsa and merengue. a wicked witch. an aged teacher. a devil. i stand at the edge for a while but after folks grin and smile at me i get in closer and watch from there. the blue and white streamers are flying in the breeze then i notice the sign. There's a celebration on monday for the burning of the devil, a bit like zozobra and the burning man in the states. i{m told its all part of the navidad festivities for the whole month of december.
at a local pueblo i talk to a curandure and she gives me a red pouch for my heart....inside the courtyard the mayan shamans are conducting numbers of fires and rituals. the rooster in front of me stays remarkably calm. a little toddler is screaming blue murder. i give her a little fake sunflower from my bag... big grins from mama and child. inside i light the coloured candles, sending prayers to my many friends.
next month shelly will be here. who else will i find on my travels. and will i find my heart as david wishes for me?
Date 12.24.04
sipping my cafe con leche by the lake this morning is a little surreal . its christmas eve and i am in shorts and a t'shirt, sandals and sun burnt nose. lucy and i took the boat across lake atitlan to see the market in Panajachel, 30 minutes away by ŽlanchaŽ. blue sky and clouds just hovering over the volcano to the south of us. in pana we sit for another fruit juice and to decide what we needed for the holidays, marmite for lucy who is from birmingham, only a few miles form where i grew up in england. for me i craved a set of water colour paints and a new notebook. at the little side street we found a comedor with fresh grilled fish from the lake, complete with salad and corn tortillas.
i chat to annette in the store, and discover she knows what, who, where i can play and help with the kids in the lake area of all 5 pueblos. she talks my ear off, ši know my brother-in-law is in touch with the local performers. did you know of the proyecto Payaso...they are a clown and HIV kids project. after the holidays give me a ring and we can get together...introduce around.
only yesterday i went over to san marcos and walked around, sat with shanti, who used to live at Short Mountain sanctuary, where i spent last christmas. he sent me up the hill to the old town. i now have my own place in san marcos, a home rented for a month at a time...every day i walk through the town square and play with the local kids on the swings and slides. this is now my work ...ha ha... its a dogs life...talking of which i made a new friend, no not a real dog. i made a puppet for me to play with. black and white of course with floppy ears as does my princess daisy at home. my new sock puppets called Pedro the Perro de San Pedro, or Pete the Puppy...the grown ups like him more than anything else. most odd.
tonight i head back to my village to see Jack, from Zimbabwe, who's had me paint murals all over his restaurant, vines and trees, sunflowers and fishes in the sea. next week another villager has asked me to come to another town to paint for her business too.
behind me the school buses potter by, filled to overflowing with families, market goodies and kids, on their way home after the last day before christmas. i have a few presents i want for folks here, not forgetting graciela and her 4 year old son where i have been staying for two weeks. she and i talk about how her husband went to the states and never came back, never sent her anything for the son. she thinks perhaps she should go there.